Overview

• Chief Marine Diesel Engineer Raymond Feige, 59, died on May 24 after a methane explosion struck his sewage vessel at the North River Wastewater Resource Recovery Facility.
• The blast occurred at approximately 10:30 a.m. as hot work inside a confined area may have ignited accumulated methane gas.
• Two other Department of Environmental Protection workers were injured and received treatment at local hospitals.
• The agency reports that plant operations and the surrounding environment suffered no impact from the explosion.
• Investigators from the New York City Department of Environmental Protection and the US Coast Guard continue to examine safety procedures and determine the precise cause.